February 2012
Wimmera Health Care Group
clinical nursing specialist Chrissie Holmes with one of the new patient
monitors in the Intensive Care Unit.
ICU monitoring system upgrade
ICU associate nurse unit manager
Anne Russell said the new system included state-of-the-art machines that also
allowed staff to monitor patients in other wards.
‘It is a central monitoring unit
with the latest-in-technology bedside monitors, which have a 12-inch LCD flat
panel display with touch screen.
‘The screen shows six patient
information waves including cardiac, blood pressure and oxygen saturation.
‘There are also telemetry units,
so patients can be moved to a ward but still monitored from ICU.
‘There are multi-measurement
modules which are useful for monitoring patients who go for x-ray or to
theatre.’
Mrs Russell said the new system
improved patient care and nursing efficiencies at Wimmera Health Care Group,
the regional acute hospital for the Wimmera.
‘The new system, which cost $92,000, was funded by the Department of Health as the previous monitors were near their end of life and parts and service were no longer available,’ Mrs Russell said.
